A robots first step on an epic journey

Main menu

The focal point since MS1 have been to construct a fully functional prototype level that is fully playable from start to finish. The reason for this is, of course, to test if the ideas we had from the start will work, both from a storytelling point of view and a gameplay view.

Since we didn’t have any experience with UE4’s Blueprint system, it took a while to get used to it. The important scripts we needed was:

Puzzle script for picking up 3 objects( can become more if we have time) and opening a door to exit, which had to remain closed until you have gathered the necessary objects

Scripts for two cinematics

Script to make secondary character move out of view after finishing first cinematic

Main menu script

One of the problematic areas was how to time the main NPC a.k.a the Inventor to walk away at the correct time. We solved that using a animated triggerbox that slowly moved towards the character model as he talked and as soon as it touched, he would start to walk towards a dummy character we had placed in the second room using a blueprint called ‘Get actor location’ that would make the Inventor walk towards the dummy’s position. A similar problem was in the end cinematic where the main character was planned to walk outside. Here we also placed a dummy pawn outside and used a ‘fake’ pawn that we teleported to the player’s position to take its place, as we had problems getting the player character to walk out. The dummy pawn would thus use the same script as the Inventor by walking towards the pawn outside the house as the door would open.

This week we have mostly focused on testing scripts and creating prototypes to see if our level will be able to be created the way we want it to. Suffice to say, most have been a success even though fine-tuning still remains. The scripts that have been made are for how to combine different cameras to create multi-camera cinematics, script to open a door by collecting object, how to have a menu at the start of the level etc.

Greetings everyone and welcome to our blog where we will post updates and other fun things as we work on our specialization project here on Gscept. As our project, we have chosen to do a game level in Unreal Engine 4 which will feature a charming house on top of a hill belonging to a brilliant inventor of robots. The level will feature the inventor; a fully animated character as he greets you welcome to your new world. You will play his creation, a small robot, in first-person, and your task is to explore the starting room while keeping the lookout for valuable object for your eventual journey to the outside world.

The level will feature:

One room with assets

A fully modelled, textured and animated supporting character i.e: the Inventor

The main character, a small robot that is modelled,textured and slightly animated